Longtime NASCAR announcer Ken Squier died Wednesday. He was 88.
Squier is probably the most recognizable voice and face in NASCAR tv historical past. He was the announcer for the 1979 Daytona 500, the race that put NASCAR on the nationwide map.
The well-known race was the primary NASCAR race to be broadcast reside on tv in its entirety. As an enormous snowstorm had hit a lot of the US, 16 million folks watched Richard Petty’s win as Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough crashed whereas racing for the lead on the ultimate lap.
It’s Squier who viewers hear exclaim “and there’s a combat, between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison” as the 2 drivers tangled close to their crashed vehicles. The second is likely one of the most iconic in NASCAR historical past.
“Although he by no means sat behind the wheel of a inventory automotive, Ken Squier contributed to the expansion of NASCAR as a lot as any competitor,” NASCAR chairman Jim France mentioned in a press release. “Ken was an outstanding storyteller and his unmistakable voice is the soundtrack to lots of NASCAR’s biggest moments. His calls on TV and radio introduced followers nearer to the game, and for that he was a fan favourite. Ken knew no strangers, and he can be missed by all. On behalf of the France household and all of NASCAR, I supply my condolences to the household and associates of Ken Squier.”
Squier served because the voice of CBS’ NASCAR protection from 1979 by 1997 earlier than present NASCAR on Fox announcer Mike Pleasure took over. Thursday morning, tributes to Squier from fellow NASCAR Corridor of Famers began pouring in on social media.
Ken Squier was there when Nascar was launched to the remainder of the world in 1979 for the Daytona 500. I’m satisfied that race would haven’t had its lasting impression had Ken not been our lead narrator. We nonetheless trip the wave of that momentum created on that day. Kens phrases and…
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) November 16, 2023
Earlier than stepping into broadcasting, the Vermont native constructed Thunder Street Speedway in his residence state as a weekly web site for short-track racing within the Northeast. Squier can be one of many co-founders of the Motor Racing Community, one of many two networks that broadcast NASCAR races on the radio.
Squier was inducted into the NASCAR Corridor of Fame as a part of its 2018 class and is the one member of the NASCAR Corridor who’s enshrined primarily due to his duties as a broadcaster. The NASCAR Corridor of Fame additionally created the Squier-Corridor Award in 2012 named in honor of Squier and longtime radio broadcaster Barney Corridor. The 2 had been the inaugural recipients of the award.
